A Star In The Sky
by Elaine Mauldin
Summary: Rewrite, reupload: Morris catches Stars stealing and confronts her, but they end up talking about something they didn't expect.


**_Author's Note: Once again, a rewrite and reupload of an old story. Took a little bit of a different direction at the very end, but I think I like it better._**

* * *

Stars pushed through the crowd, glancing carefully in every direction to make sure that no one was looking. As long as she kept moving, no merchant could catch her. He wouldn't even know that his stock had been stolen until his money ran a little short for what he sold. If he ever found out anyway.

She took her hand from her coat pocket and swiped an apple from a crate. She still kept moving. She wouldn't be safe until she turned the corner and was out of view of anyone who might have seen her—not that anyone _would_ have seen her. But she had to be careful.

A hand gripped her shoulder and pulled her back as she tried to round the street corner. She knew who it was without even looking, but seeing him as he turned her around to face him brought a bitter taste to her mouth.

"Do you mind, Morris?" she spat. "I've got places to go. People to see. You know how it is."

"Never took you for a thief, Stars," he growled, snatching the apple from her hand. "But I guess things I have changed since we last saw each other."

"Yeah. They have changed. But since you're so interested in making a scene, maybe we should pull this back into the marketplace."

He scowled and grabbed her arm, pulling her along down the next street until they came to an alley. He let her go so roughly that she stumbled backwards. She knew her best chance was to run away, but he still had that apple, and no matter how inconsequential it was, she wasn't leaving without it.

"You gonna give me back that apple?" she asked. "Or am I gonna have to take it from you?"

"You don't have to be like this, Stars."

"You're one to talk."

"You have a job, you have money that you get on your terms. Why do you need to steal?" he asked.

She shrugged, grimacing, and leaned back against the wall. "Saves money, saves time."

He shoved his hands in his pockets like he was trying not to use them. "Why you gotta be like this?" He took a step toward her and took her hand. "Why can't you just… why can't _we_ just… why can't things be like they used to be? Things used to be fun with you and me. We were good together."

"How could you want something like that?" she whispered. "After everything that's happened? We've grown up, Morris. We may still be young, but we definitely aren't kids anymore. We're getting on. I gotta find myself a new job soon. I know you've already got one, you and that brother of yours."

"He's my family, Stars. What do you expect me to do? Just leave?"

"This always comes up between us, have you noticed? You always use _family_ as an excuse, as if everybody could."

"He's all I got."

"You know that's not true."

He turned away from her. "I feel like we already had this conversation."

She nodded. "Too many times."

He sighed. "I can't choose between you, Stars. There's something about family loyalty, maybe you don't get it, but it's there."

"Then you choose him," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "And as much as that's okay… that's okay."

"But it's not!" He threw his hands up in frustration as he turned around to face her. "I shouldn't have to choose. But he's my brother, and that means something. But you… how could I even be right in the head enough to consider making a decision like that without knowing you? God, you are a star, dammit! You are my star in the sky, leading me home every night in a world where I can't seem to help but do anything except for follow my brother around like a damn sheep. When I think about you, I don't need to be any place. I'm home when I'm with you. Things… they're not so bad with you in the picture. I'm… I… I love you, Stars. At least, that's what it feels like."

Stars stood there, stunned beyond words. It took her a moment. "You should've told me before," she said. "I never would've said that I did to you if you would've just told me."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's too late now."

"But it's—"

"Hey, Morris! There you are, I've been looking all over for you!"

The two looked across the street. Oscar Delancey strolled right along up to his brother. "Where you been all day? Uncle Wiesel's got some, uh, things for us to do. I mean, as long as you're not like, busy or anything." The older boy gave Stars a peculiar look. "Nice bite," he said to Morris.

Morris held in whatever he was feeling—Stars could tell. "I'm not busy. Let's go." He turned away from his brother and the girl and began walking back across the street where Oscar had come from.

Oscar smiled at Stars, and it sent a terrifying thrill down her spine. "Blondes aren't usually his type. But I guess you'll do. Or maybe you already did." The boy threw his head back as if he were laughing, but he kept any laughter inside his own mind.

Stars wasn't about to hit him—she knew better than to mess with Oscar Delancey—but she wanted to. She didn't, however, want to hit Morris. Well, she did, but in a different way. They'd been some kind of together for so long, and then they'd been angry and apart for so long, she'd forgotten what was normal. But she wasn't even sure what was normal for them anymore. Now that he'd said the words. Really though, she only had one question on her mind now, and it wasn't out of anger. Just out of hope, actually:

Why didn't he tell her sooner?


End file.
